. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1302 
8 May 2006 
 (06-2211) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Barley, beets, corn, cotton, oats, rice, safflower, sorghum and wheat.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any 
US trade partners.  
5. Title, language and number of p ages of the notified document:  Notice.  2-
(Thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole Risk Asse ssment; Notice of Availability (Available in 
English, 3 pages).  
6. Description of content:  This notice announces the availab ility of EPA's risk assessment, 
preliminary risk reduction options, and related documents for the pesticide 2-
(Thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole (TCMTB ), and opens a public comment period on 
these documents.  The public also is encourag ed to suggest risk management ideas or 
proposals to address the risks identified.  
 
TCMTB products are used in commercial/institu tional premises, and r esidential and public 
access areas as a wood preservative, microbiocide/ microbiostat, bacteriocide/bacteriostat, 
industrial materials preservative, and slimicid e.  TCMTB is also used as a fungicide for 
farm seed treatment.   
As an antimicrobial pesticide, TCMTB is used largely as a wood preservative for 
antisapstain control.  It is also u sed as a microbiocide/microbiostat and 
bacteriocide/bacteriostat in industrial process es and water systems (e.g., pulp and paper mill 
systems, sewage systems), as well as in in dustrial materials as a preservative (e.g., 
pulp/paper products, leather products and hides,  latex, wallpaper).  As an agricultural 
pesticide, TCMTB is used for seed treatment of crops (e.g., barley, oats, rice, wheat, 
safflower, cotton, sugar beets).  TCMTB has 23 tolerances for use as a fungicide on barley, 
beets, corn, cotton, oats, rice, safflower, sor ghum and wheat.  However, all agricultural uses 
will be canceled by the technical registrant w ith the exception of barley, oat, rice, wheat, 
safflower, cotton and sugar beets; these uses w ill be supported by two end-use registrants. 
Presently, there are 45 registered products containing TCMTB as an active ingredient and 4 
pending products.  The technical registrant of TCMTB will be canceling 25 TCMTB uses 
and 11 TCMTB products.  The Agency's risk assessment identified residential, occupational 
and ecological risks of concern for some exposur e scenarios.  The Agency is interested in 
receiving any information that could assist in refining the risk assessment.  G/SPS/N/USA/1302 
Page 2  
 
  EPA is providing an opportunity, through this notice, for interested parties to provide 
comments and input on the Agen cy's risk assessment for TCMTB.  
7. Objective and rationale: [ X ] food safety,  [   ] animal health,  [ X ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests   
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal Register: 
26 April 2006 (Volume 71, Number 80), Pages 24677-24679. http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2006/April/Day-26/p6300.htm  
Available in English.  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Not specified. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  N/A – this is a notice of availability and may or may 
not result in a future regulatory action.  A notice invites the public to submit additional scientific information and comments to the Agency.  
12. Final date for comments:  Members are encouraged to submit their comments by 
26 May 2006 if possible.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Antimicrobials Division (7510C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notifi cation authority, [   ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ms Deborah Thompson, Acting, United Stat es SPS National Notification Authority, USDA 
Foreign Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Division, Stop 1027, 
Washington D.C. 20250.  Tel:  202-720-4051;  Fax:  202-690-0677;  E-mail: fstsd@fas.usda.gov